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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Draw a mask around the top of the head
Select your clip of the person on the timeline and open the Effect Controls panel. Under Opacity, click the Pen tool icon. Go to the Program Monitor and click once at the left side of the head, then click at the right side of the head. Hold the left mouse button and drag on that second point to curve the path so it sweeps over the top of the head. Finish by clicking the first point again to close the shape.
A good clip for this has a clean, plain background, such as a green screen or a removed background, so the cut looks neat.
Step 2: Set Mask Feather to zero and invert
Back in the Effect Controls panel, set Mask Feather to 0 so the cut edge is crisp. Then tick Inverted. Now only the body remains visible, and the top of the head is hidden. This clip is your body layer.
Step 3: Duplicate the layer for the head
Hold Alt (Option on a Mac) and drag the clip up one track to duplicate it. Select the top copy, go to Effect Controls and untick Inverted. This copy now shows only the top of the head, while the lower copy shows the body.
You may see a small gap between the head and the body. To fix it, nudge the Position of the head layer a little until the two pieces meet cleanly.
Step 4: Animate the head floating away
Move the playhead to the moment you want the head to pop off. Select the top layer and click the stopwatch next to Position to set a keyframe. If you like, add a keyframe for Rotation as well. Then move forward to where the move should finish and change the Position and Rotation of the head until it floats away the way you want. A small tilt makes it feel more natural.
Step 5: Smooth the motion with Ease In and Ease Out
Select both keyframes, right-click one of them, choose Temporal Interpolation and then Ease In. Right-click again and pick Temporal Interpolation > Ease Out. The head now speeds up and slows down gently instead of moving at a flat speed.
Smoother with EaseFlow: select the keyframes and apply a real easing curve in one click instead of right-clicking each interpolation option. See EaseFlow
Step 6: Add a shape or icon where the head was
To get the pink brain style cap, deselect everything by clicking an empty area of the timeline. Then press and hold the Rectangle tool in the toolbar and pick the Ellipse tool. Click and drag in the Program Monitor to draw an oval. Drag both the body and head layers above the shape layer on the timeline, then move the shape so it sits inside the head. In Effect Controls, expand the Shape section and change the Fill color to anything you like.
To make something rise out of the head, such as an icon, place it on a track above the shape layer but below the body and head layers, so it looks like it comes from inside. Add a Position keyframe at the moment the head comes off, move forward, and place the icon where it should end up. For a curvy path, click Motion in Effect Controls and drag the blue handles in the Program Monitor. Finish with the same Ease In and Ease Out.
Tips
- Keep the mask tight. Follow the natural hairline so the head piece looks like a real cut instead of a random slice.
- Match the timing. Start the head and the icon on the same frame so the two moves feel connected.
- Add a sound effect. A short pop or whoosh at the moment of the cut makes the gag land harder.
FAQ
Why does the head have a gap above the body?
The two layers do not line up exactly. Select the head layer and adjust its Position a little until the gap closes.
Do I need a green screen for this effect?
No, but it helps. A clean or removed background means the cut edge and the empty space behind the head look correct.
How do I make the head animation smoother?
Select both keyframes and apply Ease In and Ease Out from the Temporal Interpolation menu. You can fine tune further in the graph, as shown in our guide to easing keyframes.
Great animations come from smooth, well-eased keyframes, and one click gets you there. Get EaseFlow for Premiere Pro
